Railway car framing structure



Nov. 20x 1951 O, A, KUHLER 2,575,454

RAILWAY CARFRAMING STRUCTURE Filed March 29, 194? 3 Sheets-Sheet l lili(4 IIIIIIIIIIIII N WN@ C) INVENTOR.

A Y OTTO A- KUHLR A Bwjpvf,

Attn rh y NOV. 20, o, A KUHLER RAILWAY CAR FRAMING STRUCTURE I5 Sheets-Sheet v2 Filed March 29, 1947 NVENTOR. YOTTO Av KUHLER. y

Attorney Nov. 20, 1951 s sheets-sheet s Filed March 29, 1947 INVENTOR.' OTTO AKUHLER Patented Nov. 20, 1951 RAILWAY CAR FRAMING STRUCTURE Otto A. Kuhler, Blauvelt, N. Y., assignor to American Car and Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporationof New Jersey Application March 29, 1947, Serial N0. 738,071

Claims. (Cl. 105-397) This invention relates to railway car construction and particularly to skeleton framing structure for cars of the streamline type.

Inl railway cars as now built, the framing for the roof section of the car is of diierent structure and shape than the framing for the side wall sections, requiring different structural elements and the use of different jigs and templates for assembly. This practice obviously adds tothe cost of both the material and labor necessary for production and assembly of the car.

It is an object of this invention to provide a skeleton framing structure for railway cars comprising three sections each of which is formed, at least in part, of identical corresponding structural elements, thus simplifying construction of thecar and reducing the cost of manufacture.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a skeleton framing sub-structure adapted for interchangeable use either as a side wall framing section or as a roof framing section by merely omitting or including a small number of the minor structural elements.

A further object of theV invention is Vto provide a ,skeleton framing structure. formed of three similarly curved framing sections which, when assembled together, provide a tubular-shaped structure having maximum strength and capable of providing an even distribution of the compressive stresses.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from a study of the following .description and accompanying drawings, in which:

'Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a railway car constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Y Figure 2 is a perspective view taken transversely through the car and showing the skeleton framing structure incorporating the invention.

Figure 3 is a view taken on line V3 3 of Fig- 1.1.1.6 l.

' Figure 4 is a blown-up sectional View showing the connection of adjacent framing sections.

Figure 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a large scale view showing the manner of joining together certain structural elements of one of the framing sections; .and

Figure 7 is a view taken on line .'I-1 of Figure 2. v

Referring now to the drawingsin detail, the invention is shown as embodied in a railway car generally indicated at I0, having an underframe I2 including sidesills I4 and a center sill I6. The side sills I4 are formed to provide upper and lower anges'i and Y20, respectively, a oor 22 being supported by the upper side sill anges I8 and byangle bars 24 secured to the center sill.

The yskeleton framing structure for the car made up Qfthree identically curved framingsections A, B, and C joined together, the two side wall sections being indicated at 26 and 28 and the roof section at 30. The roof framing secton30 is connected at opposite sides, aS kShQwn` at`32, with the upper edge portions of the side Wall sections 26 and 28, while 4the lower edge portions of the side wall sections are secured'to the lower side sill flanges 29, as indicated at 34, thus mounting the framing structure on the underframe I2.

Each of the three curved framing sections A, B and C comprises identical main longitudinal structural side members 36, extending the full length of the car body. These main structural members may beof any suitable form, but preferably are continuous anglebars, as shown. Connected with these identical longitudinal main side members, at the same predetermined spaced points in each framing section, are pairs of identical curved transverse structural members 38. The spacing of these pairs of identical curved members is governed by the desired'width rand location of windows 40, and of vestibule doors 4I. In other words, the curved lmembers of each framing section are uniformly spaced apart and so arranged as to permit location of any desired type and size of Windows andv doors between adjacent pairs of the members. The transverse structural members 38 maybe bent to any desired curvature, solong as the curvature of each is identical, and preferably are also slightly bowed at their end portions, as indicated at 42. It will be seen that up to this point the framing sections A, BV and C are/ of identical structure, and adapted'for interchangeable use either as a roof framing section or as side wall framing sections.

Extending between `and connected to adjacent spaced pairs of these identical curved members 38 of each framing section, are intermediate longitudinal structural members 44. These members, like the curved members 38, are identical to each other and are also positioned at uniformly spaced points in each framing section, suiting the desired size'and location of the windows. The intermediate members 44 are located in exactly the same position in all three of the framing sections A, B and. C, except that inthe side wallv sections A and C they are omitted to permit application of Vthe vestibule doors M. That is, .in Vthe region of the .vestibule doors between the adjacent pairs of curved structural members at opposite end portionsof the side wall framing sections A and'pthese :intermediate Amembers 44 are not used. However, the members 44 are applied at the end portions Aof the roof framing section VAB, and with this exc eption, the three sections are of identical struc-.- ture and shape. In the instance shown, the intermediate members i4- are connected centrallyof andvbisect vadjacent pairs of the curved members, and also at* spaced equi-distant Apoints to either side of the center .loi the curved menibers 38."However, this arrangement `isgmerely for purposes of illustration and any desired arrangement of both longitudinal and transverse structural members may be used suiting the location and size of windows and doorsn The transverse curved members 38 and intermediate members 44, as clearly shown in Figure `6, vare Z bars; but these members may be of any other suitable type having attaching portions Yfor ap'- plication thereto of outside panels or skin 4 6 and interior lining 41. The various structural members are connected together by welding, as indicated at 48, the outside skin of the car being riveted or welded tothe Aouter legs of the main longitudinal angle members and to the outer an'ge's of the vZ bars.

It will be seen 'that when the framing sections are used t'o form the side wall sections of the car, the spaces between certain adjacent structural members Vare adapted. to receive suitable sash frame structure 50. When utilized as the roof framing section, these spaces between adjacent members of the frame structure will of course'b'e covered by the outside panels or skin 46. It will also be seen that the vspaced pairs of curved 'transverse members 3B serve ascarlines when in the roof framing section, while they serve as side posts When'in the side wall framing sections of the car. .A

'As shown in Figure, `the caris provided with l seats 52, of any desired or suitable type, and sliding doors 54 located 'between the vestibules and the maininterior portion of the car.

The framing 'sections.A,9B 'and C` arev constructed and assembled to form the car skeleton framing structure on atsuitable jig, 4preferably of the rotatable type. The jig is designed to'receivethe main longitudinal side angle members '36 for each section. rlwo pairs of these members arerst placed in proper spaced relationship'on the jig, after which the other side members are'placed in proper-position and the curved transverse and intermediate structural members then welded inplace. The jig is designed to receivei'a .pair of the main angle members 'ate'ach side of the framing section which is to for'mthecarroof section. The adjacent inwardly directed legs'of `each pair of angle members 'are then 'weldedtogethenand vthe skeleton framing structurehoistedfrom the jigas a unit and mounted 'on thefcarlunderframe, the lower mainsidemembers ofthe'side wall sections being welded to the side' sill lower anges 20.

The framing sections'A, B and C,being identical incurvature and of the same contour in cross section, when'assembled together form a skeletonframe structure 'of tubular. shape. This shape gives maximum strengthto the structure and permits uniform distribution and absorption of compressive stresses.

While the invention has been described more or less in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various modiiications may be made without departing from the'scopeof'the invention 'as defined inthe followingclaims.

What' is claimed is:

'1. A railway car framingmain structure comprising three skeleton framing sub-structures adapted for interchangeable useeither as side wall framing sections or'as aroo framing section, each l`of Vsaid framing sub-structures being so constructed and arranged las to be cooperatively associated ywith the other framing substructures and vincluding identical corresponding structural members.

/ 2. A Yrailwav car skeleton framing sub-structure comprising a pair of main longitudinal members forming the sides thereof, spaced pairs of curved transverse members joining said pair of ymain longitudinal members, and spaced intermediate longitudinal members extending betweenand connected with adjacent spaced pairs of said curved transverse members, said framing sub-structure being adapted for interchangeable Ause either as aside wall framing section of the car by omitting certain of said intermediate longitudinal members to provide for doorways in the side wall section or as the roof framing section of thecar by including said omitted intermediate longitudinal members.

3. In a railway car, twoside Wall framing subnstructures and a V roof` framing sub-structure joined together and forming vthe skeleton framing main structure oi the car, said sub-structures each Vbeing -formed of spaced longitudinal and curved transverse structural members identical to the corresponding longitudinal and transverse structural members in each of the other twoA substructures exceptthat certain of said longitudinal members included in the roof framing structure arecmitted in the two side wall framing structures to provide for doorways therein. Y

4. A skeleton framing main structurefor railway carscomprising three curved skeleton'framing sub-structures joined together and 'providing two side wall framing sections and aroof `framing section, said sub-structures being identical to each other in curvature and dimensions'and'each being formed ofstructuralmembers 4identical to the corresponding structural membersin each of the other two sub-structures except that certain of said structural members adjacent the ends of the sub-structures forming thetwo-side wall framing sections are omitted to provide for doorways'therein.

5. In a railway car skeleton framing main structure, two side wallframing sections'and a roof framing section, said framing sections each being formed of a pair of main longitudinal `si'de members, spaced curved transverse members joiningsaid pair of main longitudinalside members, and spaced intermediatelongitudinal inem- I bers'extending between andv connected With'said UNITED STATES PATENTS Number j Name Y, Date.

2,023,046 Ali'ritsch'e fDec. 3.133,5 2;o75,939 Heyner Apu 6; 19g? 2,101,557 Mussey et al Q D'ec.7, 1937 52,185,977 `Dean Jan.'2, IQLO 21,223,746 stoner Dec. '3; 194e 2,249,703 Dean July 15, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country v f-Date' "686,838 Germany -i f fJa'n. 1FL-1940 

